Ted Haggard says gay marriage “should be legal”

Colorado evangelical pastor Ted Haggard, who was involved in a sex and drug scandal six years ago, appears to have changed his earlier position against same-sex marriage. In an online debate, he said while biblical law is against homosexual marriage, the state should allow it.

"We've reached a point where human dignity and mutual respect is so important," Haggard said in a recent online debate with Rabbi Benjamin Hecht, director of Orthodox Jewish think tank Nishma.

Responding to the question, "Should same-sex marriage be allowed by the state?" he went on to say, "If someone is dealing with same-sex attraction or homosexuality, and they want someone to be their life partner of the same gender, though we would oppose that in our churches, it should be allowed by the state."

Haggard shared this view during the debate, hosted on deeyoon.com, while maintaining that God intends marriage to be between a man and a woman. He said the roles of the state and religious communities are different. "The state's role is to protect people equally," he emphasized.

5. Lol, that explains it. ;) nt

6. Why is this even an issue

What two people want to do is their business. Don't we have other more important things to worry about and take care of.
Take care of the people, jobs, and figure out this healthcare mess. We do not have time to get stupid about gay marriage.

11. Acknowledging the common dignity of all humans who wish to express love is a pretty big priority

So yes, we do have time to "get stupid about gay marriage," because its legal status - or lack thereof - in our nation is a fucking embarassment in that regard.

Hard to argue for spending money to help people preserve their lives and dignity when our government doesn't even allow two people to legally become a family on their own damn dime, based on the shape of their genitals.

16. Us as a people.

Not those of us who support Gay marriage. Us as in the citizens of this country. The problems we face are faced by the vast majority of our people not just those with a D in front of their name. We are not making an issue out of this the latest interpretations of our constitution say we are right. It is the religious right who are wasting the time and treasure of our nation with this stupidity.

18. We had a long talk and she was struck by the pastor saying to be against hate and division.

She hadn't heard abourt Haggard, but he made the case well. We went over every objection in the pamphlet, which were wrong, as the measure does not force churches to do anything, the measure guarantees that no one's rights will be taken away.

Also, there is the provision about people over 62 and domestic partnerships. And we discussed the problems they faced, and the problems of people not being allowed to be with their loved ones in the hospital or have property rights.

I went over the case of the man in California who was evicted from his home after his partner broke his hip and had to go to the hospital and all the tragedy and injustice of that.

So, I managed to get 5 votes on the ballot measure for same-sex marriage yesterday. I think it will pass. It feels good.

14. Haggard has always been on the forefront of LGBT rights in the born again movement

Haggard has always been on the forefront of LGBT rights in the born again movement, that not to say he has ever been working for them. However, if you look at his past statements with a comparison of what others in his movement were say at the same time, he seems to be pro-gay in comparison.

21. Exactly. He betrayed so many people. It's a little late for him to be conscience-driven. nt

22. I'm glad he got back into the RWCF circuit for his family's sake, but he was forced to disavow

his own homosexuality and egregious hypocrisy after his own gay affair. As I recall, he admitted it was his human failure rather than a gift given at birth and they let him back in.

Biblical Law is used here as Old Testament Mosaic, Levitical Law and also demands stoning your children and killing animals for sacrifice and casting out your wife and a whole host of horrors. No where does any of it belong in Christ's family.